The theft of coats and other similar garments placed by customers in an unattended coat room in a public or semi-public place continues to be a problem. In addition to theft of coats, almost everyone has experienced the loss of a coat by an innocent act of one who inadvertently takes the wrong coat. When such theft of mix-up occurs, customers of a business establishment frequently blame the owner or manager of the establishment. In order to minimize theft and mix-up and to keep the customers happy, many business establishments provide attendants who will check and watch over a customer's coat. However, hiring of an attendant adds to the cost of operating a business, especially where customers may come and go almost twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Also, small business establishments may find the cost of hiring an attendant prohibitive. Even where attendants can be cost justified, service can be slow in business establishments where all of the customers arrive at the establishment within a short period of time and leave practically all at once. This occurs in such establishments as theatres, civic centers, and other places where large crowds are attracted to a particular show or event.
The prior art does disclose a number of security hangers which have a chain or other flexible member that can be inserted through the sleeve of the garment with the free end of the chain then locked in place. Some of these prior art devices use padlock-type locking devices or permit the user to bring his or her own locking device. Others have parts that are separable. None of the prior art devices of which I have knowledge employ a coin-operated locking security hanger that is suitable for use in a business establishment, convenient to use and one that will produce income for the owner of the establishment. There is, therefore, a need for a commercial, lockable, coin-operated security hanger that will discourage theft and mix-up while producing profits for the owner of the establishment that employs such security hangers for the benefit of its customers.